the gambler-第29部分

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Entering　her　room；　I　found　her　lolling　under　a　pink　satin
coverlet；　and　revealing　a　pair　of　swarthy；　wonderfully　healthy
shouldersshoulders　such　as　one　sees　in　dreamsshoulders　covered
over　with　a　white　cambric　nightgown　which；　trimmed　with　lace；
stood　out；　in　striking　relief；　against　the　darkness　of　her　skin。

〃Mon　fils；　as…tu　du　coeur？〃　she　cried　when　she　saw　me；　and
then　giggled。　Her　laugh　had　always　been　a　very　cheerful　one；　and
at　times　it　even　sounded　sincere。

〃Tout　autre〃　I　began；　paraphrasing　Comeille。

〃See　here；〃　she　prattled　on。　〃Please　search　for　my　stockings；
and　help　me　to　dress。　Aussi；　si　tu　n'es　pas　trop　bete　je　te
prends　a　Paris。　I　am　just　off；　let　me　tell　you。〃

〃This　moment？〃

〃In　half　an　hour。〃

True　enough；　everything　stood　ready…packedtrunks；　portmanteaux；
and　all。　Coffee　had　long　been　served。

〃Eh　bien；　tu　verras　Paris。　Dis　donc；　qu'est…ce　que　c'est　qu'un
'utchitel'？　Tu　etais　bien　bete　quand　tu　etais　'utchitel。'　Where
are　my　stockings？　Please　help　me　to　dress。〃

And　she　lifted　up　a　really　ravishing　footsmall；　swarthy；　and
not　misshapen　like　the　majority　of　feet　which　look　dainty　only
in　bottines。　I　laughed；　and　started　to　draw　on　to　the　foot　a
silk　stocking；　while　Mlle。　Blanche　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　bed
and　chattered。

〃Eh　bien；　que　feras…tu　si　je　te　prends　avec　moi？　First　of　all　I
must　have　fifty　thousand　francs；　and　you　shall　give　them　to　me
at　Frankfurt。　Then　we　will　go　on　to　Paris；　where　we　will　live
together；　et　je　te　ferai　voir　des　etoiles　en　plein　jour。　Yes；
you　shall　see　such　women　as　your　eyes　have　never　lit　upon。〃

〃Stop　a　moment。　If　I　were　to　give　you　those　fifty　thousand
francs；　what　should　I　have　left　for　myself？〃

〃Another　hundred　thousand　francs；　please　to　remember。　Besides；
I　could　live　with　you　in　your　rooms　for　a　month；　or　even　for
two；　or　even　for　longer。　But　it　would　not　take　us　more　than　two
months　to　get　through　fifty　thousand　francs；　for；　look　you；　je
suis　bonne　enfante；　et　tu　verras　des　etoiles；　you　may　be　sure。〃

〃What？　You　mean　to　say　that　we　should　spend　the　whole　in　two
months？〃

〃Certainly。　Does　that　surprise　you　very　much？　Ah；　vil　esclave！
Why；　one　month　of　that　life　would　be　better　than　all　your
previous　existence。　One　monthet　apres；　le　deluge！　Mais　tu　ne
peux　comprendre。　Va！　Away；　away！　You　are　not　worth　it。Ah；　que
fais…tu？〃

For；　while　drawing　on　the　other　stocking；　I　had　felt　constrained
to　kiss　her。　Immediately　she　shrunk　back；　kicked　me　in　the　face
with　her　toes；　and　turned　me　neck　and　prop　out　of　the　room。

〃Eh　bien；　mon　'utchitel'；〃　she　called　after　me；　〃je　t'attends；
si　tu　veux。　I　start　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour's　time。〃

I　returned　to　my　own　room　with　my　head　in　a　whirl。　It　was　not　my
fault　that　Polina　had　thrown　a　packet　in　my　face；　and　preferred
Mr。　Astley　to　myself。　A　few　bank…notes　were　still　fluttering
about　the　floor；　and　I　picked　them　up。　At　that　moment　the　door
opened；　and　the　landlord　appeareda　person　who；　until　now；　had
never　bestowed　upon　me　so　much　as　a　glance。　He　had　come　to　know
if　I　would　prefer　to　move　to　a　lower　floorto　a　suite　which　had
just　been　tenanted　by　Count　V。

For　a　moment　I　reflected。

〃No！〃　I　shouted。　〃My　account；　please；　for　in　ten　minutes　I
shall　be　gone。〃

〃To　Paris；　to　Paris！〃　I　added　to　myself。　〃Every　man　of　birth
must　make　her　acquaintance。〃

Within　a　quarter　of　an　hour　all　three　of　us　were　seated　in　a
family　compartmentMlle。　Blanche；　the　Widow　de　Cominges；　and
myself。　Mlle。　kept　laughing　hysterically　as　she　looked　at　me；
and　Madame　re…echoed　her；　but　I　did　not　feel　so　cheerful。　My
life　had　broken　in　two；　and　yesterday　had　infected　me　with　a
habit　of　staking　my　all　upon　a　card。　Although　it　might　be　that　I
had　failed　to　win　my　stake；　that　I　had　lost　my　senses；　that　I
desired　nothing　better；　I　felt　that　the　scene　was　to　be　changed
only　FOR　A　TIME。　〃Within　a　month　from　now；〃　I　kept　thinking　to
myself；　〃I　shall　be　back　again　in　Roulettenberg；　and　THEN　I
mean　to　have　it　out　with　you；　Mr。　Astley！〃　Yes；　as　now　I　look
back　at　things；　I　remember　that　I　felt　greatly　depressed；
despite　the　absurd　gigglings　of　the　egregious　Blanche。

〃What　is　the　matter　with　you？　How　dull　you　are！〃　she　cried　at
length　as　she　interrupted　her　laughter　to　take　me　seriously　to
task。

〃Come；　come！　We　are　going　to　spend　your　two　hundred　thousand
francs　for　you；　et　tu　seras　heureux　comme　un　petit　roi。　I　myself
will　tie　your　tie　for　you；　and　introduce　you　to　Hortense。　And
when　we　have　spent　your　money　you　shall　return　here；　and　break
the　bank　again。　What　did　those　two　Jews　tell　you？that　the　thing
most　needed　is　daring；　and　that　you　possess　it？　Consequently；
this　is　not　the　first　time　that　you　will　be　hurrying　to　Paris
with　money　in　your　pocket。　Quant　。。。　moi；　je　veux　cinquante　mille
francs　de　rente；　et　alors〃

〃But　what　about　the　General？〃　I　interrupted。

〃The　General？　You　know　well　enough　that　at　about　this　hour　every
day　he　goes　to　buy　me　a　bouquet。　On　this　occasion；　I　took　care　to
tell　him　that　he　must　hunt　for　the　choicest　of　flowers；　and　when
he　returns　home；　the　poor　fellow　will　find　the　bird　flown。　
Possibly　he　may　take　wing　in　pursuitha；　ha；　ha！　And　if　so；　I
shall　not　be　sorry；　for　he　could　be　useful　to　me　in　Paris；　and
Mr。　Astley　will　pay　his　debts　here。〃

In　this　manner　did　I　depart　for　the　Gay　City。

XVI

Of　Paris　what　am　I　to　say？　The　whole　proceeding　was　a　delirium；
a　madness。　I　spent　a　little　over　three　weeks　there；　and；　during
that　time；　saw　my　hundred　thousand　francs　come　to　an　end。　I
speak　only　of　the　ONE　hundred　thousand　francs；　for　the　other
hundred　thousand　I　gave　to　Mlle。　Blanche　in　pure　cash。　That　is
to　say；　I　handed　her　fifty　thousand　francs　at　Frankfurt；　and；
three　days　later　（in　Paris）；　advanced　her　another　fifty　thousand
on　note　of　hand。　Nevertheless；　a　week　had　not　elapsed　ere　she
came　to　me　for　more　money。　〃Et　les　cent　mille　francs　qui　nous
restent；〃　she　added；　〃tu　les　mangeras　avec　moi；　mon　utchitel。〃
Yes；　she　always　called　me　her　〃utchitel。〃　A　person　more
economical；　grasping；　and　mean　than　Mlle。　Blanche　one　could　not
imagine。　But　this　was　only　as　regards　HER　OWN　money。　MY　hundred
thousand　francs　（as　she　explained　to　me　later）　she　needed　to　set
up　her　establishment　in　Paris；　〃so　that　once　and　for　all　I　may
be　on　a　decent　footing；　and　proof　against　any　stones　which　may
be　thrown　at　meat　all　events　for　a　long　time　to　come。〃
Nevertheless；　I　saw　nothing　of　those　hundred　thousand　francs；　for
my　own　purse　（which　she　inspected　daily）　never　managed　to　amass
in　it　more　than　a　hundred　francs　at　a　time；　and；　generally　the
sum　did　not　reach　even　that　figure。

〃What　do　you　want　with　money？〃　she　would　say　to　me　with　air　of
absolute　simplicity；　and　I　never　disputed　the　point。
Nevertheless；　though　she　fitted　out　her　flat　very　badly　with　the
money；　the　fact　did　not　prevent　her　from　saying　when；　later；　she
was　showing　me　over　the　rooms　of　her　new　abode：　　〃See　what
care　and　taste　can　do　with　the　most　wretched　of　means！〃
However；　her　〃wretchedness　〃　had　cost　fifty　thousand　francs；
while　with　the　remaining　fifty　thousand　she　purchased　a　carriage
and　horses。　

Also；　we　gave　a　couple　of　ballsevening　parties
attended　by　Hortense　and　Lisette　and　Cleopatre；　who　were　women
remarkable　both　for　the　number　of　their　liaisons　and　（though
only　in　some　cases）　for　their　good　looks。　At　these　reunions
I　had　to　play　the　part　of　hostto　meet　and　entertain　fat
mercantile　parvenus　who　were　impossible　by　reason　of　their
rudeness　and　braggadocio；　colonels　of　various　kinds；　hungry
authors；　and　journalistic　hacks　all　of　whom　disported
themselves　in　fashionable　tailcoats　and　pale　yellow　gloves；　and
displayed　such　an　aggregate　of　conceit　and　gasconade　as　would　be
unthinkable　even　in　St。　Petersburgwhich　is　saying　a　great　deal！
They　used　to　try　to　make　fun　of　me；　but　I　would　console　myself
by　drinking　champagne　and　then　lolling　in　a　retiring…room。
Nevertheless；　I　found　it　deadly　work。　〃C'est　un　utchitel；〃　Blanche　would　
say　of　me；　〃qui　a　gagne　deux　cent　mille　francs；
and　but　for　me；　would　have　had　not　a　notion　how　to　spend　them。
Presently　he　will　have　to　return　to　his　tutoring。　Does　any　one
know　of　a　vacant　post？　You　know；　one　must　do　something　for　him。〃

I　had　the　more　frequent　recourse　to　champagne　in　that　I
constantly　felt　depressed　and　bored；　owing　to　the　fact　that　I
was　living　in　the　most　bourgeois　commercial　milieu　imaginablea
milieu　wherein　every　sou　was　counted　and　grudged。　Indeed；　two
weeks　had　not　elapsed　before　I　perceived　that　Blanche　had　no
real　affection　for　me；　even　though　she　dressed　me　in　elegant
clothes；　and　herself　tied　my　tie　each　day。　In　short；　she　utterly
despised　me。　But　that　caused　me　no　concern。　Blase　and　inert；　I
spent　my　evenings　generally　at　the　Chateau　des　Fleurs；　where　I
would　get　fuddled　and　then　dance　the　cancan　（which；　in　that
establishment；　was　a　very　indecent　performance）　with　eclat。　At
length；　the　time　came　when　Blanche　had　drained　my　purse　dry。　She
had　conceived　an　idea　that；　during　the　term　of　our　residence
together；　it　would　be　well　if　I　were　always　to　walk　behind　her
with　a　paper　and　pencil；　in　order　to　jot　down　exactly　what　she
spent；　what　she　had　saved；　what　she　was　paying　out；　and　what
she　was　laying　by。　Well；　of　course　I　could　not　fail　to　be　aware
that　this　would　entail　a　battle　over　every　ten　francs；　so；
although　for　every　possible　objection　that　I　might　make　she　had
prepared　a　suitable　answer；　she　soon　saw　that　I　made　no
objections；　and　therefore；　had　to　start　disputes　herself。　That　is
to　say；　she　would　burst　out　into　tirades　which　were　met　only
with　silence　as　I　lolled　on　a　sofa　and　stared　fixedly　at　the
ceiling。　This　greatly　surprised　her。　At　first　she　imagined　that
it　was　due　merely　to　the　fact　that　I　was　a　fool；　〃un　utchitel〃；　
wherefore　she　would　break　off　her　harangue　in　the　belief
that；　being　too　stupid　to　understand；　I　was　a　hopeless　case。
Then　she　would　leave　the　room；　but　return　ten　minutes　later　to
resume　the　contest。　This　continued　throughout　her　squandering　of
my　moneya　squandering　altogether　out　of　proportion　to　our
means。　An　example　is　the　way　in　which　she　changed　her　first　pair
of　horses　for　a　pair　which　cost　sixteen　thousand　francs。

〃Bi